Students Ship Us
by Nny11
Summary: Something of an off shoot to my other story Students Ship Them, this time from the teacher's side of things. Liara T'Soni and Jane Shepard are just stumbling through their new relationship and feeling it all out. It really doesn't help that their students ship them.
1. An Afternoon

A/N: Well I couldn't figure out something good for SST this week, but for some reason writing a short ditty about Liara/Shepard as teachers worked fine? Not sure this is in the right tone or style to fit with SST so here we are, a place where I can place any spin off stories from the other side of the isle as they come to me. Let me know what you think!

Liara quietly scrubbed the erasers back and forth on the cleaning grate and listened both to the sound of the Inter-Galactic Public Radio and students leaving for the day. Overall it had been a decent day. Her usual behaviorally challenged students had only acted out a few times, she had managed to actually eat a lunch and take a restroom break, her IEP meeting had only involved one instance of pouting and shouting, and the grading database had only crashed twice while Liara had input grades. Really, that was a pretty solid day now that she considered it. To top it all off she had even gotten to talk with Jane today.

Admittedly about introducing rugby as a team sport next year.

Arguing about it really.

And perhaps it had ended with Liara implying that Shepard was still a jarhead.

And Shepard thinking it was a compliment.

And Liara folding on the whole argument in a fit of annoyance, embarrassment, and fondness.

"Hey Li, you in there? I can hear that IGPR going. Students are staring. It's so cold out here. Liara?"

Liara rolled her eyes even as she double checked that, yes, her air conditioner was still broken and yes, it was still a balmy 82 degrees in her room. Liara stretched a moment before walking to her door, pulling back the butcher paper a scant inch to peak out at the human who was caught making faces. Liara felt it was even polite that she waited for Jane to pull her tongue back into her mouth before opening the door.

"Password?" Liara asked, trying to make her voice sound threatening or grave.

"I have a bag filled with lemon drops and a thermos of tea." Jane smiled and jiggled her camo printed rucksack. Even with all her badges and name pulled off, the fluffy side of the Velcro was still on her old marine pack and it never failed to make Liara smile.

"I was looking for please, but that is much preferable." Liara smiled and stepped back allowing Jane into her room. Liara purposefully did not make eye contact with a high maintenance student who had begun to run for her door with an essay held aloft, and quickly shut and locked the door. It was 3:00 PM, Goddess go home child!

Jane had already put her bag down and swung her feet up onto a desk, the goods placed next to her. "I come bearing gifts and peace offerings." She smiled even as she drank a soda and nudged one of the erasers with the toe of her shoe.

Liara smiled and wiped her white dusted hands off absentmindedly on her dress, before realizing what she'd done and winced. Two white smudges now marred the green front and Liara rubbed at her head in annoyance, earning a laugh from her companion.

"Going for gold T'Soni? Sit down and drink some weak tea." Shepard waved lazily at the banged up thermos and failed to suppress a chuckle. "Also, maybe a damp paper towel for your head?"

"What?" Liara asked as Jane pointed at her forehead. She spared one more annoyed glance at her still dusty hands before flopping down and rubbing her arm against the spot she'd touched. "Oh shush."

Jane simply laughed harder and began to pull out papers that needed grading, pulling out a red pen to go with it.

It had come down a few weeks back at a staff meeting that teachers were no longer supposed to use red to mark papers. Apparently it hurt student's feelings too much and the suggestion had come down to use lavender instead. Jane had laughed during that meeting until she realized they were serious, and then complained that in the Marines poor performance was rewarded with extra work, yelling, pushups, and a complaint about how soft kids were these days. Something Liara had found absolutely rich considering Jane was barely two decades older than the students. Of course being asari probably had something to do with the humor there. Wrex threatened to eat her if she used red, and Jane threatened to make him present in her class. Miranda had given Jane a lavender pen and Jack had stolen it to write crude remarks on Jane's arm. With one sleeve rolled down to cover her temporary ink and the lavender pen angrily jammed behind her ear Jane had declared that the school board could fight her in person if they cared that much and invested in red pens.

Liara failed to hide her own amusement with the memory as she popped a few lemon drops into her mouth.

"Look, if you're going to laugh at me the least you could do is switch the radio to ANN instead of your liberal pinko crap?" Her tone was joking and eyes dancing as Jane grumped. "Because I have to get these grades in tonight."

Liara glared mildly at the human. "Jane, please tell me those aren't their review grades. The ones you were supposed to upload a week ago."

Jane glanced at her before looking back at the papers. "Alright, I won't tell you that then."

"Jane!"

"Shh, I'm trying to get some work done here? Wow, rude!"

Liara rolled her eyes and grabbed half the stack from her. "You are lucky I like you; give me a pen and the answer sheet. Why do you even do this in hard copy?"

Jane looked at her in disbelief, then her chalk board, then back at her. "Seriously you are not allowed to judge me miss, 'I do things the old fashioned way like my grandma!'"

Liara tried to ignore that with dignity and grace. "My grandmother was using computers and the internet while your people were probably still learning basic hygiene." Ok so maybe more like a petulant child.

"Ha! We're still learning basic hygiene. I swear the boys in my class think that cologne is an appropriate cover up instead of showering and the girls spritz their cucumber melon mist around because they like the sound it makes." Jane paused to dramatically sniff at her arm pit. "Come to think of it, when was my last shower?"

"Barbarian." Liara mumbled around the hard candy as she marked off another question on Elissa's paper. In a fit of pity she awarded half a point for a small stick figure the girl had drawn blocking an electron.

"Priss-pot."

The two continued grading in silence Stephen Trinsky excitedly talked on the radio about the way that alien cultures influence each other, with a focus on Salarians who had taken to disco like no one's business. Jane made faces every few minutes at the report even as she sung along to a few lyrics that were played. They both ignored the knock on the door from a student outside, although Jane did glare at the door until it stopped.

Liara smiled, yeah, perfect way to end the day.


	2. Tug-A-War

It was field day, universally loved by students and teachers. Unless you had been forced to coach, in which case it was awful and seriously how did she get pulled into this? Liara made it a point to stand tall and try to not pluck at the bottom of her shorts as if they would magically grow a little longer as two groups of students heaved on opposite ends of a rope. Liara didn't understand it, the game was simple but in her opinion it was also silly. After having voiced that opinion to Jane, and having been thoroughly mocked by the human, and having demonstrated her own strength by picking up and tossing said human, Liara had kept her mouth shut. Goddess forbid that in a day and age with air cars, medigel, omni-tools, and the haptic interface that one asari dare to stand between teenagers and a twisted piece of twine.

Jane, meanwhile, appeared to be relishing the entire exercise and the day itself. Liara wasn't surprised by this; in fact she had counted on Jane's distinct love of physical education to take over allowing Liara to shirk her duties on planning this whole event. Jane stood with her favorite whistle hanging around her neck, apparently seriously watching and judging this tug-a-war competition. Liara had offered to help judge this particular event since the alternative had been judging a set of relay races with Tali. While Liara usually liked spending time with the quarian, she did not like hearing a bunch of poorly disguised jabs at Liara's poor excuse of flirting with Shepard. The idea of spending a whole two hours being ribbed was not exactly savory, so here she was. Silently standing with Jane. Could be talking, but isn't with Jane. Wondering if she could possibly make their friendship any more awkward, with Jane.

Still, it was with Jane in public. Baby steps were needed to go from dedicated friendship to romantic relationship. She just needed to find some of that famed asari patience instead of constantly reinforcing a platonic friendship or arguing with the other woman. Liara still felt her ire rise when thinking about dodge ball.

Shepard blew her whistle as the flag was pulled to one team's side, the opposing team having gotten dragged across when one of the students tripped and pulled across the grass. There was a cheer from the winning side and a lot of glaring from the losing side as they shuffled off to another activity. As the next group was supervised by Jane and got lined up Liara half glanced back at the line. Elissa and Amala stood at the front, and Liara felt her crest tingle as she noticed them quietly talking and laughing. Those two were subdued trouble, well meaning, but trouble.

Jane returned to her side after starting the match, and shifted slightly closer to her. "Don't look so happy to be here T'Soni. I swear you'll make someone burst into tears with that glare."

Liara felt a small frown develop and glared out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not glaring, and besides those two are at it again I'm sure."

Jane followed Liara's line of sight and laughed a little. "Double trouble causing you some heartache?"

"When are they not?" Liara scoffed lightly. "Well, besides when you are causing me trouble that is."

"Oof! Wow, rude." Jane said with a small smile, although her eyes were glued back onto the rope.

Liara rolled her eyes and focused again as two groups of teenagers appeared to be actively looking to rip each other in half with the rope. At least there were no krogans this time, a few rounds back a hulking pup Liara was sure had to be in someone else's class had simply hauled everyone, her team included, across the field until Shepard's whistle sounded. There had been a delay as Jane struggled through a fit of giggles.

With this memory fresh in her mind's eye Liara heard what sounded like someone being hurt, her head snapping over to the line where Amala was animatedly talking with Sara. Elissa took a step forward and began to wave enthusiastically towards her. Liara glanced over at Jane who shrugged, and then slowly waved back. Liara's hand still fell long before Elissa's and she was about to break eye contact out of the sheer awkwardness of the whole situation when Amala suddenly hit her friend in the back of the head. Liara had a second to be shocked at the display before noticing that Jane was already stalking over to them.

Liara was pretty sure that Jane's favorite hobby was breaking up fights between krogan, followed closely by her love of breaking up fights between anyone else, which was nearly tied with her love of starting fights. Liara signaled the students on the rope to stop and jogged to catch up with her coworker. United fronts!

"Ok ladies, anyone want to explain to me what is going on over here?" Jane asked using her no nonsense voice, before huffing and looking at Elissa. "Halevi, stop waving, it's gotten creepy."

Liara sent a warning glare at the two girls trying to disappear into the crowd before prompting them again. "Well?"

"Friendly discourse!" Elissa's dark skin was only getting darker as she spluttered, "Debate! For class, debate class, about, uhm, uh, about stuff and things."

Liara bit her tongue as the other girl's gaping jaws gave away the lie. She could feel a wave of pure amusement from Jane as she struck her 'I am pretending I don't buy it' stance. All it triggered was memories of Jane standing in an airlock with Javik as they argued and Liara lifted a hand to cover her mouth.

"Oh yeah? Debate class on stuffing and things." Jane looked at her with fake annoyance and real exasperation. "Care to be more specific Ms. Halevi? Maybe Ms. Yatoi, "Jane made a gesture at the asari maiden, "would like to add something on this since her avid…rebuttal caught my attention."

Liara watched as the young woman's face crumbled in seconds as she burst out, "We were talking about you two! I mean, is it true you two met on an Alliance ship or was it in college?"

Jane looked at her in surprise, obviously unsure what to say here. Liara tried to not burst into laughter all over again. As an archeologist she liked to think she knew something about digging holes, but these two appeared to be a bit enthusiastic about digging it deeper. She gave a shrug and coughed to cover her own dying laughter.

"Because, it's a big debate we have, in debate club. We choose topics and things that we're familiar with and everything." Amala continued with more confidence.

Liara wondered if they could repurpose the rope to pull these two out.

"How we met?" Jane's voice was mechanical, her default when all she wanted to do was laugh until she turned blue but knew it would be inappropriate.

"Yes, mm-hm." Elissa added while gulping and sweating buckets, eyes darting around looking for any out she could see.

Liara was fully prepared to sit back and enjoy this. If one person enjoyed mildly torturing people verbally, it was Jane Shepard. Really, her only regret was not having a drink and snack to watch the show. That was the exact moment that Liara heard a massive crack and a roar behind her as two krogans began to head butt one another. Jane lit up even as she threw out a halfhearted, "I should go." Whistle blowing she began to physically separate the two.

Liara found her eyes traveling over Jane's arms as she exerted her superhuman strength. This was probably the only reward Liara would need for field day this year. Jane being confident and showing off her fabulous arms. Pulling herself together, Liara turned back to the obviously relieved students.

"I would suggest coming up with a plausible cover story, with a bit less room for interpretation and need for a friend to bail you out." Liara managed to not smile as Elissa's eyes nearly popped out of her head. A second more and Liara thought about how they had met.

Liara had been lost and exhausted, her team swept underground and blocked in for the last few days. She had actually only come out to consult with the crew, classes were scheduled to start soon after and no matter how much Liara wanted on the dig team she did have a contractual obligation to fulfill for teaching. She could still remember hearing a scrapping and tapping sound, following it down one of the many tunnels that crisscrossed the site and seeing light. Rushing up, well as fast as her broken leg allowed, and seeing the face of an unknown human. Red hair pulled into a tight bun, sweat rolling down her face and covered in dirt. The woman gave a shout to whoever was there with her, and reached out to Liara. A warm and rough hand wrapping around hers.

"We met when Shepard saved my life, she was in the Marine Corps and I was teaching at Serrice University. I hope this helps settle your debate." Liara turned and began the laborious process of breaking up a mob that wanted to watch a famous Verbal Shredding ala Shepard. Shoulders shaking in repressed laughter, knowing that she'd left the girls in a worse state than she'd found then, and head shaking in wonder at the school body's obsession with violence Liara sounded her own whistle. Liberal use of biotics wasn't necessary but Liara enjoyed herself anyways.

A/N: Most of these will not so closely follow chapters I wrote in SST. I once again stalled out writing that story and wanted to re-read chapters to get myself going. This happened instead so why not post it? If I have to drag it from the depths I will post a new chapter for SST this week. :)


	3. Soda Spritz

Jane smiled and presented the tuning fork with flourish to the amused asari. Clamped on one side of a wooden box was another tuning fork that was secured upright, on the other end was a rubber coated poll. Jane was rather happy to have found this little experiment to show her students, for some of them grasping the way sound waves moved was tantamount to demanding they explain quantum mechanics beyond the popular version thrown around the extranet. And if they were stuck on this, it was only problems down the line. Hilariously it was mostly her salarian students who struggled, while they grasped the larger concepts this simple thing just made them stumble. She found it oddly adorable and wanted to let them use the tuning forks as well, but first she had wanted to do a dry run of the lesson. Sure she could have asked a number of people to sit here and pretend to be interested, or she could ask Liara who always seemed to genuinely light up when she watched Shepard teach.

Not with coaching. Liara still lit up, but more in the "Thanix cannon gonna mess up your face" way than the "you are cute and I like you" way. Jane was trying to encourage the "I like you" variety and desperately wanted to avoid feeling like she needed biotic suppressive grenades.

So here she was, having given her opening lecture of acoustic dynamics and having only fumbled a few times. She felt herself grin like a complete idiot as Liara had reached to take the tuning fork out of her hand, and then freeze up as their fingers touched. Time slowed for a split second, Liara's eyes seemed like endless skies, Jane became horrifyingly aware that she hadn't brushed her teeth that morning, and then the moment was over. Liara turned the metal fork over a few times before obligingly hitting it on the rubber rod and holding it still. After a moment the other tuning fork began to ring as if someone had struck it. Liara's smile grew just a bit as they listened to the two high F tuning forks ring. Liara's left elbow rested on the desk and her jaw was practically cradled in her hand, she held the fork perfect still with her right hand. Was she wearing eye shadow?

Jane's heart provided the off kilter drum to the single note hanging in the air. She eventually managed to squeeze out, "Yeah, just like that."

Liara looked back at her and nodded. "I think this is wonderful Jane, you're students will love it."

Shepard was pretty sure the room had gone up in temperature even as she tried to warm up her fingers by clamping them under her arms. "Yeah? Well, I mean, yeah. Anything besides doing more math right?"

Liara chuckled and struck the tuning fork again. "Or critical thinking, Athame shield them if they must think during class."

Jane sarcastically crossed herself and belatedly wondered if Liara knew the gesture. Was there an asari equivalent? "Well, anyways, thank you for making sure I don't make a fool out of myself in front of the class next week."

"Always a pleasure to make sure you aren't more of a fool than usual." Liara managed to somehow even look alluring while insulting her.

"Yeah, well, that was given." Jane nervously grabbed her soda and took a pull even as Liara frowned slightly. "I swear this is only my third can today, two less than usual!"

Liara rolled her eyes and took a very purposeful sip or her mineral water.

 _So friggin classy! Jane Shepard figure your life out and don't drink more soda._

Jane tried to put her soda down without looking like she was over thinking it. Her life had pretty much come down to how much she could overthink "not overthinking it" while trying to impress Liara. I would have been pathetic is Liara wasn't Liara, because Jane was pretty sure everyone understood why you should try to impress Liara. Jane was suspicious and a little paranoid that a few people even understood why you should try to get Liara to like you, like, like like you. Jane felt oddly like at 32 she herself was back in high school, pining over Jeremy Wanders and his stupidly perfect face again. This time around she didn't have the excuse of raging hormones or her dad coaching her on what to say. Instead she had a pack of friends who teased her mercilessly and students who would accidently submit homework with doodles of her and Liara in the corner. Who did that? Besides Amala and Tavo, because honestly Shepard couldn't fault them when she awarded points here and there for the doodles of Tali and Garrus, so now she couldn't dock them. But was she that obvious? Was her infatuation so stupidly obvious that even her teenage students noticed before she had a chance to do anything? Oh god, what if Liara knows and is avoiding that territory on purpose?

Jane grabbed Liara's mineral water and took a swig in desperation to not consume more soda, be classy and be likable but in desperation. Choking on the flavor she cough and spluttered. To her horror, bubbling water sprayed across the table in a fine mist hitting Liara in the face. As Jane turned shades between the coughing, embarrassment for spitting on her crush, and terror wondering what new medical implants she would need after the biotic pile drive; Liara was up and pumping furiously on the paper towel dispenser next to Shepard's desk. Jane suddenly found a soda can pressed to her lips and chugged desperately as a blue fist pounded on her back. Finally getting control of herself, Jane found her face getting wiped off with course brown paper towels and looked at Liara who had yet to wipe her own face off.

"I am so sorry, I should, should I go?" Jane felt miserable. Way to prove how cool and smart you are by spitting up like a baby. Suave!

"It's your classroom?" Liara paused and sounded confused. Then a look of embarrassment crossed her face before her hands dropped back to her sides. "Sorry! I should not have assumed—I can leave if you want."

"No!" Jane cleared her throat. "No, it's fine. I just, sorry about the spit." Although, now that she'd said it out loud and was looking at Liara, she couldn't see even a sheen of water. Sure that she couldn't turn any further shades of red Jane snatched the paper towels away and scrubbed at the chipped black desk top.

Liara's laughter was really a consolation prize, but it still felt pretty good too. _Be cool Jane, be cool._


	4. Retreat With Confidence

Jane fidgeted as she sat at her desk, an empty cola can threatening to jump off the edge on her right and a list of teaching methods on her left. She chewed gently on the end of her stylus and squinted down at her student's papers in near disgust. This was simple algebra, not even calculus and they were struggling. Seriously, how do kids these days make it to high school and get confused by foiling? Her hand fumbled for her full soda for a moment before she remembered to try and regulate her intake. When she was in the black her caffeine addiction was basically sanctioned and encouraged, her appreciation for good coffee had been taken out back and shot, and on leaving she found herself craving sludge and worse. Jane winced slightly as she pictured her father staring slack jawed and disapproving at her generic store brand instant coffee. So with a heaping of parental guilt she had switched to cola.

Jane wondered if she would get diabetes some day from the sugar content, and other days just didn't care as she consumed two liters at a go. She had bought one of those 72 oz cup from the local eezo shop (it glowed blue in the dark) and had abused that for a long while.

Liara's gentle face appeared, complete with disapproving frown and worried eyes, in Jane's imagination.

For no particular reason Jane was working on cutting her soda consumption down.

Jane Shepard is not a puppy dog following after an asari doctor, tail wagging between her legs and pissing on the carpet out of sheer excitement.

Jane snorted. _I like that fairy tale, tell me another._

Post Marine Corps was not something that Jane had really considered when she signed up. Probably the only time she had considered what her life might be like as a civilian was when she was face up in a tiny concrete tube with drill instructors yelling at her that she was both a failure and that she could do it no problem. The rest of the time she fell into the category "too stupid to quit" and had tried to kick every challenge in the teeth. She had meant to be a lifer and had climbed pretty far until the last mission, which as far as she could tell was a common theme when injury caused discharge. She tried to not focus in on the servos helping adjust her balance or the hearing aid skillfully hidden in her right ear.

But there she had been, sobbing ugly and being a soup sandwich at her mother's house when the knock had come on the door. Her mother had uncertainly called up the stairs.

"Jane, there's an asari at the door, some sort of doctor?"

She had managed to hobble down and not burst into further hysterics when she saw Liara T'Soni standing awkwardly in the front hall. She had to stoop a little as the entry was only six feet tall, and was wearing a pair of ragged shorts and a long sleeve shirt with a thesauras rex on it. She looked flustered and ready to bolt, and had been worrying at her bottom lip. She had been perfect. Jane smiled at the memory of spending several days meeting up, finally getting forced out of the house for something other than therapy, and generally making her mother look exasperated at her inability to make a move. It turned out that Liara had shifted gears pretty hard over the last few years and was teaching at a local high school after her father had poked and prodded her. It was summer break, it was almost the end of summer break.

Jane had panicked and asked what she would need to do to teach physics. After all, Jane was actually rather good at it and had earned a bachelor's for it thanks to military coursework. She often wondered what Liara had to do to get Jane a spot that winter, but chalked it up to her nearly scary ability to just make things work.

So here she was, trying to not drink cola until she keeled over and viciously covering her student's paperwork in red marks. Because it turned out that Jane Shepard is a puppy dog.

Her mother's glare seemed to hover in her mind's eye along with her rueful, "You seriously would rather fist fight with krogan then ask that nice girl out to a movie? If I had been such a wilting flower you would not be born kiddo, god bless your father but he was jumpier than a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs!"

Jane pinched her arm to cut off the rest of that rant. Her parents sex life was not of interest to her, and she did not want to associate their awkward dance with her and Liara's love life.

Lack of love life. Lack of romantic relationship. Pathetic. She was Commander Jane Shepard! Hero of the Blitz! She would find some steel in her spine, besides the medical implants, and ask Liara out to a movie. Or ice cream. Or a run. Something. Steel spine!

Locking the pad, Shepard stood up from her backless chair and glared around the empty classroom. She could do this. Her feet stayed planted. Maybe she should do those power poses that Kaidan had been talking about? She lifted both arms in the air as if in victory and then balked as a student stared at her through the window on her door. Seriously need to put paper over that. To do after asking Liara to dinner or the gym. Determination! She only wasted a few more minutes arranging things on her desk before marching out the door into the commons. She noted with a fair amount of amusement that someone had jury rigged a bar over the rachni statue, Miranda would have a fit, and marched across the grass to the main building. Woo her, make jokes, smile, don't flex like a meat head, ask her out for coffee or a trip to the convenience store. Shepard tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she walked to J hall. I am a confident beast, people love me. Ask Liara out to the parking lot to get something from the car or offer to help her out at those AP history study periods she holds. Jane took a deep breath and paused outside of the holy space known as J10, Liara's room. Ask Liara what she thinks about the petition to change their mascot from the blood thirsty rachni to the pyjack or see if she needs some red pens.

Baby steps.

Jane glared at the brown butcher's paper covering the window of the room. Liara probably wasn't even here. She always took a quick walk during prep periods. She should probably go and let Liara have some down time. Not giving herself more time to make excuses Jane opened the door.

"Hey Li can I," Jane paused as a sea of students swiveled to look at her, "Uhm, so you're in class." She coughed and began to back out of the classroom.

Right, this semester Liara no longer had prep at the same time as Jane.

"Hey can you…?" Liara's smile was warm and encouraging. Jane felt her heart melt and simply wanted to crawl under Liara's desk and sit there listening for a while.

Don't flex. Say something. Something professional!

"Er, is it alright if I borrow our model of the universe?" She shuffled in slightly. Be confident, be bold, be in charge. Her eyes desperately looked around. "Hey Bowe, you still owe me chapter five." Yeah, good, in charge and professional. Not awkward. Don't be a jarhead. How long has Liara owned that dress?

"Am I getting it back in one piece?"

Jane immediately saw a broken mirror from two years ago, the ripped jacket from last winter, and the new prothean spire model she had bought to replace the one she'd destroyed when students launched golf balls from their trebuchets. "Yes."

"Without the use of super glue?" Liara teased her, her smile threatening to become the only thing Jane could possibly look at.

Seriously, how does someone have such a perfect mouth and face and everything?

"Sure?" What was the question again?

Liara's smile disappeared to be replaced by a frown. Oops. "Shepard!"

Lifting her hands in defense Jane huffed, "Ok, ok, no glue!"

"Or magnets."

Ok Jane thought that one had been clever, magnets to hold together the mass relay model. She'd even put one in one of her ship models to show where the ship would enter from. Liara had been less than impressed. "You are just, you are just not even fun you know? Fine I'll make sure we don't break, destroy, mangle, maim, or harm your model. Yeash."

Yeah, be cool. Jane put her hands in her pockets. Sexy people do that right? Be casual but hot, and approachable. She watched Liara walk to her cabinets and did not stare at her backside the entire time. Seriously, how could a dress be both that professional and complimentary? She refocused and found Elissa looking at her with the most grateful eyes she'd ever seen. Students. Right. All watching me. Jane felt an irrational urge to begin lecturing on Newton's three laws to fill the empty space.

"Alright, class please try to focus while I deal with this." Liara began to lecture from the back, but everyone still stared at Jane who by now was feeling pressure to do something. Like lightning she remembered making a few crewmen laugh back on the Normandy by pretending to be in awe every time Liara mentioned protheans. It had become a game to the crew, pretending to be in complete awe until Liara would notice and chew them out like they were children. Which really, they basically were, big children who were allowed to play with guns and beat up mercs.

"The Protheans architecture was a pretty big deal at the time and today…" Jane waved her hands slowly and let her eyes get huge. A few students locked onto her with grins. "…considering their structures are still used as the bones by our civilizations it's obvious that the Protheans…" She held her cheeks as if seeing both the most amazing and adorable fluffy baby animal she'd ever seen. "Which is why prothean—" Shepard popped on leg up the way people in movies did when kissed, which was so dumb that she laughed every time. Liara had punched her over it when they were watching Valentis Goes on Holiday. Apparently one did not mock Liara's celebrity crush without getting hit and covered in popcorn. "Prothean, Prothean, Prothean, yes I know what you are doing up there thank you very much."

Busted. Lowering her hands as the class laughed Jane felt a warm glow inside. Students liked her, Liara liked her. Liara liked her. She tried to not smile like a complete idiot as the asari spent time helping Jane to hold everything in her arms. Jane may or may not have pretended to have trouble holding everything to draw that out. Professionalism. A warm smile and, was that what twinkling eyes look like? Jane tried to suppress her heart rate and fought a wave of tingly nausea at being liked. "Thanks for the model. We should do this more often. I should go." Jane backed out of the door trying to keep Liara in her sights as long as she could. Failing to shut the door with her foot, Liara gave her one last fond look before shutting it gently in her face.

Jane stood there, lazily spinning discs rotating around her arms, staring at the closed door. Progress!


	5. Dinner Totally Not A Date

"Hey! Glad you could make it, come in, come in you know where to throw your stuff." Jane smiled even as she backed up into her apartment, nearly tripping over her cat and then promptly tripping over her dog. Liara managed to not roll her eyes as they were both herded into the bedroom. Liara had a mild allergy to pet dander, and any time spent with those two usually ended with Liara petting or touching them, and promptly sniffling and blowing her nose. Jane had run through several tissue boxes before they both agreed that for long hang outs, the two just had to be locked up.

Liara had enjoyed coming over in the past, and very much appreciated the opportunity. After all, a night at her house meant a much more awkward time as Jane tried not to break anything and Liara worried about how pretentious she had to look with artifacts and diplomas everywhere. It was always easier to go to Jane's apartment where neither of them had to care any further than pushing the stack of never ending papers to one side of the table and making sure neither of her animals had puked on the rug.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss our Friday's for anything." Liara smiled as she held out the wine bottle she'd brought with her, "And not just because I need a drinking partner. Mostly because I like having a drinking partner."

With only a half glare Jane snatched the bottle away paused at the door to the kitchen before grumbling and heading back down the hallway. "Well, we'll drink as soon as I jury rig something. Cat stole my opener, don't laugh at me T'Soni!"

Liara did managed to staunch the flow of giggles, but not before Shepard ducked her pink face into the hall closet. It took a half second longer for Liara to remember that she could open the bottle instead of risking whatever bizarre method Jane wanted to test from the extranet. She'd lost a good bottle of wine to a shoe and another to a sword of all things.

"Do you want me to get that?" Liara asked, desperate to avoid another repeat performance.

"Nah," Shepard stood up, a claw hammer and long screw with very wide threads in the other, "I may have lost the wine opener but I still have a trusty back up."

"I think it would be easier if I just opened it." Liara was still, miraculously holding her grin off.

"With what your mind?" Jane joked.

Liara tilted her head and when Jane did not catch on, lit one of her hands with biotics. "Actually, yes."

Jane hesitated for only a moment longer before laughing, nearly doubled over. "Oh Christ! I always forget you asari all have biotics. Well, help a lowly human out would you?" She held the bottle out.

Liara simply pulled the cork while Jane still held the bottle, the foil peeled back easily and the cork floated a scant inch above it.

Jane jammed the screw into her pocket and dropped the hammer into a loop on her pants near the knee. "That's just showing off now."

Liara grinned and sauntered back towards the kitchen. "Where do you keep glasses?"

A small thump on the half cleaned table let her know she'd been followed. "Above the sink, but fair warning to you, I've only got one wine glass. It's yours, I'll take a shortie."

Liara tried to not laugh as she opened the cabinet and found several beer mugs, shot glasses, and nothing else. Pulling out two of the 20oz glasses Liara shrugged, "You don't have either of those, we'll just split the bottle. Besides I wanted a few glasses anyways. Should I pour too?"

Jane threw her hands up in mock disgust. "Go crazy, let me check on the pizza."

The oven light was flicked on and then back off before Jane looked back at her. Liara levitated the bottle and gently poured them both a glass, twirling the bottle after both pours so the last drop of wine retreated inside.

"Ok, seriously though, show off! I could've done approximately that, with a few spills and everything." Jane complained loudly even as she grabbed a glass.

Liara was rather grateful that Jane took the glasses reading " _My Eyes Are Up Here!"_ and happily took the remaining glass with a stylized engraving of Emptai Peak. Liara was also very happy she had brought a wine, otherwise she suspected that Shepard would have poured her a glass from that awful black box variety she always had around for cooking. Not that Liara would have complained, she would have accepted the wine, drunk it, and probably still asked for seconds. To be fair, she was practically wasting this bottle since the frozen pizza was some off brand that Jane swore tasted better to her. And there wasn't even a salad. Jane would just cut the pizza into six slices and they'd both eat half of it while watching cartoons or re-watching Valentina flicks. Eventually Jane would make popcorn or a tuna spread accompanied by the frilliest and most expensive crackers that Liara had ever seen.

Save two credits on the frozen pizza to buy the crackers overpriced by four. Wash it down with box wine and local craft beer.

If not vids maybe board games. Liara enjoyed a human game called Clue while Shepard had latched onto the turian Raktan. Battleship was a favorite, if by favorite you meant they could half finish the game before getting into a massive argument and Jane trying to poke Liara with a chain of her red and white markers. They learned to not mix food and board games after the Kepesh-Yakshi accident of '91. Liara still had a stain from that in her living room, covered as tastefully as she could by a small throw. Still, she thought of that date fondly.

Not that it was a date.

Not that they were dating.

Yet.

But not dating…not dating with Jane. Liara drank to that.


	6. Raining and Pouring

Liara had to admit, she was acting entirely too much like her age, and she rather detested it when she did. Here she was feeling flung in about twelve directions, waiting for her dad to pick her up, and hoping that her crush would just happen to wander by and confess an undying love. She tried not to blush or act too obviously annoyed, she also valiantly fought off the desire to talk to herself. It had been a bad habit she'd developed over long nights of working on her dissertation and longer days working digs alone. Even alone in her class room, Liara did not want to start up again with that particular tick. She could see herself now, muttering to herself during physical education and suddenly remembering the students staring at her in confusion.

She did not need to encourage the students.

Playing with the edge of her sleeves Liara frowned slightly. Tali appeared to be the instigator for the school's growing obsession with Liara's inability to ask Shepard out, although Liara was well aware that everyone seemed to be in on the joke. Including her father, Athame shield the children of Aethyta. Liara was not surprised that for some reason when she ate from the cafeteria that she ended up with plenty of red and green foods, often shaped at first glance like hearts and at second glance—Liara was grateful that student's never saw her tray. Of course the occasional batch of tea with alcohol was probably also her father's doing but Liara was loath to make that particular behavior stop even if it did break school rules.

The tapping at her door finally snapped Liara out of it. Her father did not tap things; she typically broke them or made sarcastic calls via omni. Making sure that her blouse and skirt were still presentable, Liara pulled back the butcher paper to see Jane standing outside. Liara decided she didn't care if Aethyta caught them talking or hanging out, it was future her's problem.

"Jane, come in!" Liara smiled at the distinctly distracted look on the other woman's face.

Jane squinted for a second before blushing bright red and fiddling with her omni tool. "Sorry, forgot I turned the ear mite down." Instead of coming into the room she proceeded to fiddle with the Velcro on her bag, she had recently put some sort of badge on it promoting the Armax Arsenal Arena and had a bad habit of pulling it off and on multiple times. Finally realizing that she was standing outside and that Liara was struggling to not laugh at her, Jane stepped inside and proceeded to nervously fiddle with the straps on her bag which was her default when trying to not play with the velcro.

Liara managed to force her amusement at Jane's distractedness away and asked, "Is everything alright?"

"It's raining." Jane blurted out, huffed, and returned her gaze to her bag. "Don't you ride the bus or something?"

"Yes, although a little rain never hurt anyone." Liara opted to not mention that she was getting a ride home from her dad or that Jane's concern was sweet.

Jane finally looked at her with something like exasperation and pointed at Liara's windows. With a slight pause Liara walked over and lifted the blinds revealing the torrential downpour and occasional student huddled under various rickety over hangs that dotted the commons.

"Oh!" Liara glanced over her shoulder and tried to find her smile again. "Well, despite my student's belief otherwise I'm not a wicked witch to melt in water. I'll be," Liara floundered to find a word that didn't sound dirty or desperate before settling on, "drenched but it's alright."

Jane chewed on her bottom lip before trying to casually say, "I can give you a ride."

Liara was instantly torn. This was a perfect opportunity to spend time in close physical proximity to Shepard. This was primary objective one, not that Liara had a plan, or list, or organizational style chart. No. Shush! But it was Shepard driving. She saw them talking and laughing, Shepard's hand accidently grazing her thigh or knee as she shifted gears. She saw them flying through traffic as if there were no laws, and herself squeezed into the bucket seat with a terrified smile frozen on her face. _No I'm fine, I'm fine, I'M FINE TRUCKTRUCKTRUCKTRUCK!_

But she would lose years of her life while with Jane, and that was worth something.

Liara, once again, wished that she had learned how to drive. Growing up with her mother's followers and attendants meant that Liara had never needed to learn, and during University she had everything she needed in walking distance. She had gotten one lesson from father a scant three or four years back, which had soured her disposition to driving even more as she'd laughed at every failed start and stall out Liara had managed. The bottom of that car was still slightly dented from when Liara had stalled them over a small boulder. Considering most air cars were designed with fail safes to prevent someone from stalling out and plummeting to their death, Aethyta had been tickled at her ability to break the computer's code via sheer will. Liara had been mortified and called the company to complain viciously about a faulty product. They had offered to hire her and Liara had eaten a tub of ice cream while writing an apology out to Jane for ever complaining about her driving. Could she really judge Jane's driving when she could magically stall out an air car?

Flashes of Jane running stop signs and passing illegally sprung to mind. There was a particular memory of horror as Jane honked and flipped off a nearby driver before performing barrel rolls around them. Liara had begun to stock Jane's glove compartment with vomit bags just in case.

Still…sick to her stomach and desperate to see flat land again with Jane.

All of this in the span of a few awkward seconds before Liara gave a small smile. "That would be nice, thank you."

Shepard lit up and puffed up with a smile. "Yeah? Alright! I mean, cool, let's uh, uh," Her hand had been digging through the rucksack as she frowned. "Give me a second I swear I have an umbrella."

Liara noted the sound of hail and nodded. "Take your time."

Jane's pawing became more frantic before slowing down to a halt. The apologetic look on her face combined with her slightly hunched over form made Liara want to apologize.

"Don't suppose you have one?" Shepard asked voice almost cracking.

Liara shook her head before a thought occurred to her. "I, well I do have a full length rain coat. We could hold it over our heads?" She lifted her hands up to demonstrate and felt the tips of her crest burn with embarrassment.

There was an almost dreamy smile that spread across Jane's face before she snapped out of it. "That, uh, that would be nice. Let's do that."

Liara gathered her work, homework, student's homework, and fun reading material in what felt like seconds. Her yellow and gray rain coat clutched in one hand, bag fit to burst slung over the other. Liara noted with a snort that Jane patted the room number as she locked up; the woman appeared in love with it which Liara suspected was due to it being a J room. After all, Jane was in L12 and Liara had always found it funny. They paused just outside the building doors, fussing and struggling to get the coat held comfortably over both their heads despite the height difference.

"You ready to run the obstacle course? I'm seeing water a foot deep at least, several floating cans, and the parking barriers." Jane grinned and sounded almost breathless already.

Liara smirked back. "Just try to keep up!"


	7. Whistle While You Work

Shepard blew her whistle and pointed an accusing finger at Bowe, who had the good grace to at least look embarrassed over throwing the puck instead of hitting it with his stick. Without having to say a thing Jane quickly moved to the next group while Liara gave him a pointed dressing down. Liara's warnings and verbal beat downs weren't considered as fun to watch, but Jane had always found her heart beating a little faster as the asari managed to know exactly what to say and how to say it. Something to be said for a maiden who could take charge and do so with apparently everyone's secrets at her disposal to shame and blackmail. Shepard was glad beyond words that Liara didn't seem to know her secrets; otherwise their friendship would probably be rough for a while as Liara burst into laughter every time she saw Jane. Shepard felt herself blush even though nothing had happened and tried to not grumble aloud.

Honestly, Jane was one for taking personal responsibility and owning up to what you really feel…which was why she was going to blame the students for this.

Somehow it had gotten worse. Garrus had almost proudly shown her several confiscated notes concerning Jane and Liara, claiming that he made the students imitate them while reading them. Miranda had practically begged her to ask Liara out because students wearing now ending up talking to the Principal over fights revolving around their love life. Grunt had taken her on a spin around in his golf cart, even letting her shoot his nerf gun at packs of students, but had used the time to subtly ask about Liara. Well, subtly as a young male krogan can. _Is Dr. Liara trustworthy? Is she strong? What has she killed?_ Like a kick to the face. Jane didn't even want to get started on Ash reading poetry students had written about them. Even Kaidan had told her about how a student somehow used them as a metaphor when discussing the discovery of The Citadel. All of this in the last month, a month!

Jane shifted uncomfortably, trying to look cooler and more in charge as she felt Liara's gaze on the back of her neck. She purposefully did not flex.

Of course it had gotten a little intense and bizarre even in her class. Jane was still both disgusted and impressed with the way students managed to turn in physics homework that included mentions of her and Liara. Physics homework, which was all algebra or calculus and describing things like electron orbits and how things fall in a perfect vacuum. It was apparently little more than a creative hurtle for teenagers who would draw over the images so that Liara would be throwing a 57kg package at Jane from a shuttle moving at 15m/s, not accounting for air resistance. The package was covered in hearts and appeared to be perfectly placed for a photo op during the firework show that was in the background. Amala's estimate on distance was way off, but she'd gotten some begrudging credit next to a note about working more on math and less on art. Jane had yet to tell Liara who appeared to never get any of this kind of homework turned in. Which was a shame, as that could be used as Jane's in.

 _Would you look at this thing I got? You got one too? How hi-LAIR-ious! We should go mock these children at a coffee shop or something intelligent, like a gallery opening._ Imaginary her laughed like an annoying rich person. _Honk, honk! How silly of them!_

Maybe she could bribe students to help her out, because that actually wasn't a half bad idea. No, too obvious. Shepard wondered who else could help and only came up with Morinth who seemed willing to bribe students for all the wrong reasons, but was probably more interested in a three way than helping kindle the flame of true love. Jane gagged at herself in revulsion. Way to sound like some wimpy, emo kid living in their parent's basement instead of a regular smitten adult. An adulty adult. Jane physically resisted the temptation to slap herself and refocused on the students before being disgusted all over and blowing her whistle three times.

"All right, all right, stop! Everyone stop! Gather round right now!" Jane shouted feeling a small twitch as the students slowly began to circle up around her and Liara. "What is going on today? You all tired? You all feeling a little under the weather? Saint Monica help me now, you are all over the place. First of all, Trik'ath is not hockey folks. Let me repeat that for the humans, not hockey! Does this look like an ice rink? You don't slide the puck on the ground!"

"I know the devices seem similar but remember that the puck in this case hovers, so playing on the floor can be very dangerous if it bounces." Liara cut in her voice was cool as ice, and her glare was leveled primarily at Shepard. _Do not belittle students. Do not threaten students. Do not humiliate students._

She didn't like it when Shepard had fun.

"You kids see the shape of your sticks? Stop laughing Mr. Tavo, I know you have the maturity of a five year old but come on. It's not a hockey stick; it's more like a sliotar yeah? Because you need to flick that puck off the ground to move it!" Jane projected as loudly as she could without being silently scolded by Liara for yelling. "This is not rocket science folks. This is basic physics which you should all know since you have all either been in or are in my class. Equal and opposite reactions! You need to hit the puck hard but not at the floor where it's gonna rebound into your face."

"And remember that Trik'ath is about the ability to quickly and accurately pass the puck and move in the restricted playing field. So even if it doesn't hit you, it will bounce off someone else which you do not want." Liara added in.

Jane felt a bit of ire rise. Why did she always have to pick PE to argue about personal style? It was sports, you were supposed to go in and win. Play hard to get what you want and push yourself! Kids these days, oh she could go on about kids these days, let me tell you something here, they are, they are just, and it's not like when she was a kid! When she was a kid things were different, they played outside and better video games that required you to still move not this brain hooked up bull. In PE her coach had been a loser and a jerk who'd delighted in tormenting them. Shepard was different, she was nice. Nice and not even appreciated!

Although, admittedly, maybe Liara had a point. Quarians were great but a cracked face plate was not exactly helpful in any circumstance.

"Whatever! The point is safety and scoring!" Jane didn't want to argue with Liara but she did want the last word in this not argument. Different things! She glared at Liara in silent victory and challenge, which was met with a disgusted huff before she turned to assist a particularly helpless group. Jane was not surprised to see Tavo sneering at the short stick as if it had insulted his pet cat. She was also not surprised that Liara looked fantastic in those dark gray shorts.

Because hot damn she'd make a paper bag look fashionable.

Jane attempted to remember how it had felt a few seconds ago when she was better than her students instead of worse. She also distinctly did not notice the freckles on the back of Liara's leg or her sudden inability to function like an adult. Out of habit she blew her whistle.

This was getting out of hand, and Jane supposed it was not the student's faults as much as it could be her own.


End file.
